Kansans vote to protect marriage as union of one man and one woman

Apr 4, 2005 / 22:00 pm

Citizens of Kansas are headed to the polls today to vote on a state constitutional amendment that would protect marriage as the union of one man and one woman, and Concerned Women for America (CWA) expects the amendment to get a majority vote.

The lobby group was one of several organizations that were instrumental in putting the amendment on the ballots.

CWA of Kansas was active in mobilizing people at the grassroots to contact their state legislators and urge them to vote in favor of the amendment. Marsha Strahm, legislative liaison for CWA of Kansas, contributed to the testimony heard by the House Federal and State Affairs Committee.

"Last year, the Legislature denied the people of Kansas the opportunity to vote on the amendment, but we are grateful that the flood of calls pouring into the state Capitol, our lobbying efforts, and our public testimony, have paid off in their decision to put the amendment on the ballot," said CWA of Kansas State Director Judy Smith. CWA has 5,540 members in Kansas.

If Kansans to approve the amendment, it would make Kansas the 18th state to protect marriage in its state constitution.

The CWA pointed out that support for traditional marriage is growing across the country. A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll released April 1 reported that 68 percent of Americans oppose legalizing same-sex marriage, and a majority now supports a federal constitutional amendment.